Vacuum-producing apparatus.



L. W. SERRELL.

VACUUM PRODUGING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNI: 2s. 1909.

Patented July 19,1910.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEMUEL WILLIAM SERRELL, 'OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE 4VA- CUNA COMPANY, 0F EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION 0F NEW IERSEY.

VACUUM-PRODUCING APPARATUS.

eeaoes.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 19, 1910.

Application filed June 23, 1909. Serial No. 503,803.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, L'EMUEL WILLIAM SERRELL, a citizen of the United States, re-

siding at Plainfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in Vacuum-Producing Appa ratus, of which the following is a specilication.

The device ofimy presentinvention is designed as van improvement upon the device shown and described in my application for Letters Patent tiledAugust l, 1908, Serial No. 446,370 with the obj ectv of increasing the efficiency, reliabilityland output of the device and providing relatively larger areas for expansion of the air between the revoluble devices of the series.

ln the device of my present invention, the revoluble devices are in series spaced a predetermined distance and mounted upon'a central shaft in suitable bearings and driven by a motor common to all. Each revoluble device or impeller consists of an imperforate disk mounted upon a flanged hub upon the shaft with the blades of the impellers extending between said diskand an over-head plate ring substantially agreeing in width `withpthe series width of the impeller blades; the periphery of each plate ring is curved outward and downward asa delivery wall to the plane of the disk. The inclosing case is of gradually increasing diameters from the inlet to the exit and the same is ott-set in cross section to conform closely to the periphery of the revoluble devices. The case is provided with spaced partit-ion rings or separators secured thereto extending inwardly therefrom and placed directly over the revoluble impeller devices and there are vair expansion chambers between the i1npellers. preferably turned down slightly into the central portion of the revoluble devices and close off any gap between t-he same and the overhead plates of the revoluble devices so as to insure the delivery of the air from each chamber intervening between the revoluhle devices equally into the space produced in the revoluble devices between the inner edges of the impellers. The openin s in these rings are also of increasing iaineters corresponding relatively with the other parts.

In the drawing, Figure 1 isa vertical section and partial elevation representing the.

The inner edges of these rings are' devices of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a sectional Vplan through aportion of one of the revoluble devices and Fig. 3 in enlarged size is a section through the edge or periphery of one of the revoluble devices.

I provide al central shaft a upon which at spaced intervals are mounted flanged hubs, the said hubs being pinned or keyed to the shaft in any desired manner. This shaft is mounted in a suitable ball-bearing b at its lower end and in another suitable ball-bearing c at its upper end. The character of these ballLbearings however is not material as any suitable bearing allowing a high speed of rotation may be employed to advantage.

I have shown an electric motor d with brushes bearing upon the commutator at d1 as adapted to provide the power necessary for rotating .the central shaft. The character of this motor'and its commutators are not material as they maybe of any known or suitable type. The electric motor d, its commutator all and the lower ball-bearingv`b are mounted in any desired or 'suitable man-A ner in a supporting base e of annulus type,

A which in turn is adapted to carry the case or shell of the vacuum producing apparatus, at the upper end of which is supported the upper bali-bearing c and upon the top of which case or shell it is preferable to place and mount a suitable dust-collecting device.k

This supporting base' or frame c is preferably of annulus type providing a flange at its upper end to receivethe lower edge of the case or shell for the vacuum producing ap 'para-tus. i

Each revoluble device. in series comprises an imperforate disk f of suitable' metal, at its center surrounding the hub a1 and riveted to the flange thereof. These part-s may also be soldered together if desired so as to make the same air-tight.

z. represents the blades of the impellers which extend to a point adjacentt-o the periphery. These are of slight-ly curved form and are placed atsuch an inclination that they cross radial lines from the center of -the shaft a. These bla-,des are shown as each provided with lugs 2 adjacent to their lower edges, which are preferably riveted to the disk f, and I provide an overhead plate ring 'z' adapted to rest on the up er edges of the blades to the inner edge of*j the ring, coin ciding with the inner ends of the impeller blades and at the outer edgek of the ring extending beyond the outer ends of the blades and outer xedge of the imperforate disk f and with its outer periphery l curved outward and downward to substantially form a quarter circle so las to produce la curved delivery wall." This plate ring 'L' and the disk f are preferably permanently and rigidly connectedtoget-her by rivets .3 shown `especially in Figs. 2 and 8, which are set at intervals and 'whose shouldered ends are securely overturned against the upper surface of the plate ring z' and the under surface of the disk f.

I do not limit my invention to forming the blades as separate pieces and securing them respectively to the disk f and ring i'.

It will be noticed from Fig. 1 that there are sections shown of the impeller blades k. These only represent the radial bi-secting lines of the section which cut through the curved impeller blades at one lace or another. The construction described of the impeller blades forms between the disk f, plate ring e and the curved impeller blades IL numerous throats or passage-ways through which the air is drawn from above and from the inner space within the inner ends of lthe blades between the same with the rotation of the impeller devices, the air impinging in transit against the curved edge il of the over-head plate ring z' and being deected downward into the air expansion chamber below the revoluble device. This is the case with each revoluble device, and it will be noticed particularly from Fig. l that lthe uppermost revoluble device is thel smallest in diameter, that the lowest is the greatest in diameter and that the second device is intermediate of the two. Correspondingly that as the impeller blades increase in length pro ortionately to the diameter of the revoluble impeller device the over-head plate rings also increase in proportion to the diameter, and furthermore that the openings between the inner ends of the blades in the several revoluble impeller devices also increase in diameter in proportion.

The case or shell la is preferably an integral member also of increasing diameter rom the upper or inlet to the lower or exit portions. The said case or shell is provided :with olf-sets or shoulders icl of curved form substantially agreeing with the curved edges or peripheries of the revoluble devices and the lower edge of the case or shell rests upon and is secured to the up er annulus edge of the supporting base or Frame.

I provide partition rings or separators Z and secure the outer edges thereof to the inner surface of the caseor shell at the flat surfaces produced just above the off-sets or shoulders lvl by screws 5 or other suitable means. These partition rings come over or above and lie parallel with the overhead plate rings of the revoluble. devices so that there is between the two a slight space, enough for ample clearance as between a stationary and moving part. The spaces produced in the case between the under surfaces of the revoluble impeller devices and the rings or separators Z constitute air expansion chambers. The inner edges of these partition rings or separators are over-turned as shown at 4; the over-turned portion extending down into the open center of the revoluble devices within the inner ends of the blades and below the plane of the plate rings z' so as to close off the gap between said plate rin and the partition rings, and direct the air down into the o en center of the revoluble devices t0 pass be ow the lower edge of the over-turned part 4 and into the throats hereinbefore referred to.

The top 7a2 of the case or shell has its inner edge turned down or over-turned to correspond with the over-turned inner edge 4; said top k2 performing the function of the partition rings Z and acting above the uppermost revoluble device as the equivalent of a partition ring and also as a support for -any suitable vessel receiving the dust from the dust laden air as the sam'e may be rawn into and through the device.

fn the operation of the device the air is drawn into the vacuum producing apparatus through kopenings in the case supporting the upper ball-bearing c and within the central opening produced between the inner edges of the top k2 of the case; the air passing through the throats of the uppermost revoluble device and being delivered into the expansion chamber of Vthe case pro duced between the upper revoluble device and the next lower device, where the air has a chance to expand into the increasing diameter of the case'.; The second or next lower revoluble device of increasing diameter is also of'increasing operative capacity in excess of the uppermost revoluble device and it will therefore take more air. The air in the upper chamber is deflected by the upper partition ringZ over the inner edge 4 into the throats of the revoluble device and passing through the saine is turned down by the over-turned edge l into the second chamber where because of the increasing diameter of the case, the air there may ex* pand. The air from this chamber is delivered into the throats of the lowermost revoluble device whichl because of its greater diameter will take more air than the revoluble device above, and the air passing through the throats of the lower` revoluble device is deflected downward from the upper curved edge 1 into the lowermost and larger cha1nber, and at this place ll have shown and prefer to provide a curved annulus or case m secured at its upper edge to thtI case or shell k and having an open center around the electric motor and through which the volume of air as delivered escapes into the atmosphere and simultaneously acts to keep the motor cool.,

The structure shown in Fig. 1 is advantageously mounted so as to be easily moved about when required, upon casters or rollers o, one of which I have shown on the left hand of F ig. l. This enables the machine to be moved by hand overthe surface of the floor or covering, but as the same forms no part of -my invention, the structure .upon

whichthe machine is mounted is not of material importance. Y

t l have hereinbefore described that the inner edges 4 ef'thespartion rings Z close off the gap -betweenthe plate rings z' and partition rings Z so as to direct the air into the throats of the impeller blades, and that the vair from the throats is diverted or turned lilre an ejector to pull a small percentage of the air through in the same direction. The vacuum is thus maintained unbrokenin the chamber above each impeller. without any mechanical or frictional seal,`v

ll have herein shown .and described th impeller blades It as curved and crossing radial lines because the same represents the best and most successful form thereof, but l de not herein limit my invention thereto as the irnpelle-r blades might be straight and laced on radial lines, nor do l limit my invention to the character of the bla-des, and while l have shown the apparatus as set ver tically it may be set with the shaft hori zontal and l do not therefore limit my in vention in this particular.`

lnthe drawing I haveshown the case of tapering parts of gradually increasing diameters, but l do not, linutl myself to this precise form as the parteci 'gradually-,inm creasing diameters maybe parallel sided insteadof taperingm 1 l claim as my invention: l w 1. Ar vacuum. producing apparatus comprising s aced impellers of gradually increasing iaineters, yeach having an inclined.

vperiphery bent in the thickness of the impeller to a detlecting delivery edge, a case also of graduali increasing diameters extending around t e irnpe'llers and having odset portions-'which agree in sectional contour with' the peripheries of the impellers and in which are expansion'chambers between the irnpellers, and a suction inlet at the smaller part of' the case through which air is drawn inte the case and expands to- .thereo vdisk so as to ward and is delivered from the larger end of the case.

2. A. vacuum producing apparatus comprising revoluble devices of gradually increasing diameteneach device consisting of an' imperforate disk suitably mounted, mpeller lates secured to the upper surface IP within the periphery and placed across radial lines, an over-head late ring coming against the top edges' ol) the impellers with 'means for securing the plate member and the said 4disk ina permanent relation, and the over-head plate' ring hav ing a downwardly curved edge extending out beyond the periphery of the imperforate turn downward the air as it passes through the throats produced between the impeller plates, the disk'and the late ring, and a case extending around the lmpellers and of gradually increasing diameters, anda suction-inlet at the smaller end of the case through which air is drawn into the case and expands toward and is decreasing diameters, a case therefor extending around the-impellers and lalso of gradually increasing diameters and in whic are expension chambers between the impellers, and

said case having olf-set portions adjacent to the edges of the impellers and corresponding in outline with the .peripheries of the'v impellers, .and partition rlngs or separators connected at their outer edges to the lcase inwardly directly over theand extending impeller devices.

LA vacuum producing apparatus comprising spaced impellers of gradually increasing diameters, a case therefor extendin around 4the impellers and also of gradual y increasing diameters and. in which are expansion chambers between the impellers, and said case havingotlset ortionsadjacent to the edges ofthe impelliers andcorresgonding in outline with the -peripheries of t e impellers, partition rings pr separators connected at their outer edges to the case and extending inwardly directly over 'the inlpeller devices, and a curved annulus at' the arger o en end of the case secured to the case' an formi-ng a chamber beneath the I larger impelle'r device.

5. 'A vacuum producing apparatus comprising series 'of revoluble devices or spaced unpellers of gradually increasin diameters, a' central sha t on which the sai devices are mounted and-each device comprising a hub upon the shaft, an imperforate disk secured thereto, series of impeller blades connected to theV upper surface of said disk 'adjacent to and extending inward from the periphery of the disk and the impeller blades set at an inclination crossing radial lines, an overhead plate ring having its inner edge at the inner ends of the impeller blades extending over the blades so as to produce throats between the blades, the disk and the ring, with the outer edge of the plate ring continued beyond the `periphery of the impertorate disk and downwardly curved and overturned so as to produce a delivery wall, and a case also of gradually increasing diameter extending around the revoluble iinpeller devices and having oil-set portions extending closely around and adjacent tothe periphery ot the revoluble liinpeller devices and said case also provided with partition rings or separators coming abovev the revoluhle impeller devices and assisting in establishing chambers oi the case between said revoluble impeller devices.

6. 'A vacuum producing apparatus comprising series of revoluble devices or spaced impeilers of gradually increasing diameters,

. a central shaft on which the said devices are mounted and each device comprising a hub upon the sha-tt, an iinperforate disk secured thereto, series ot impeller blades connected to the upper surface of said disk ad` jacent to and extending inward from the periphery of the disk, and the impeller blades set at an inclination crossing radial lines, an overl-head platefrin having its inner edge at the inner ends o'l the impeller vblades extending over the blades so as to produce throats between the blad, the disk and the ring, with the outer edge of the pla ring continued beyond the periphery of the imperiorate disk and downwardly curved and over-turned so as to produce a delivery wall, and a case also of gradually are mounted and each device comprisino' a hub upon the sha-ft, an imperforate disk secured thereto, series of impeller blades connected to the upper surface of said disk adjacent to and extending inward 'from the periphery Aof the disk, and the impeller blades set at an inclination crossing radial lines, an over-head plate rin having its inner edge at the inner ends of the impeller blades extending Yover the 'blades so as to lproduce throats between 'the blades, the disk and the ring, with the outer edge of the plate ring continuedbeyond the periphery eeaoss Vof the imperforat-e disk and downwardly curved and over-turned so asto produce a delivery wall, and a case also of gradually increasing` diameters extending around the revoluble impeller devices and having oilset portions agreeing substantially with the curved peripheries of the said revoluble impeller devices and also partition rin s or separators arranged parallel with an directly above the revoluble impeller devices secured at their peripheries to the case and having their inner edges over-turned into the central portion oix the rotary impeller devices, and a curved annulus at the larger open -end of the case secured. within the case, preferably contracting the exit opening oit the case so as to establishv a receiving chamber :for the air at the larger end of the case.

8. A vacuum producing apparatus comprising with a case of raduallyy increasing diameters, spaced im e lers therein also of gradually increasing iameters and between which are expansion chambers, each impeller having a central air intake toward the smaller part of the case and a peripheral discharge substantially at right angles to the plane of the impeller.

9. A vacuum producing ap aratus romprising with a case of gradual y increasing diameters, spaced impellers therein also ot gradually increasing diameters and between which are expansion chambers, each impeller having a central air intake toward the smaller part of the caseand a periphery curved in a downward and'cutward direction for a peripheral discharge substantially at right angles to the plane of lthe impeller.

l0. A vacuum producing apparatus coinprising with a case of gradually increasing diameters, spaced impellers therein also of gradually increasing diameters and between which are expansion chambers, each impeller having a central air intake toward the smaller part of the case and a peripheral discharge, and means protecting the gap at the intake margin, which means extends down into the central air intake to control the direction of the moving currents of air.

l1. A vacuum producing apparatus comprising with a case of radually increasing diameters, spaced impe lers therein also of gradually increasing diameters andl between which are expansion chambers, each im eller having a central air intake towar the smaller part of the case and a peripheral discharge, means protecting the gap at the intake margin, 'which means extends down into the central air intake to control the direction of the movin currents of air, and a curved dedecting wa l at the periphery of the spaced impellers having the function of a peripheral discharge substantially at right angles to the plane of the impeller `simu-ltaneo-usly edecting a seal of the gap.

12. A vacuum producing ap aratus comprising with a case of radual y increasing diameters, spaced impe 1ers therein also of gradually increasing diameters and between which are expansion chambers, and each'of which impellers is provided with a series of conduits lfor fluid and the continuation of said conduits turned at the eripher of the impeller to a delivery opening whic faces the discharge.

13. A vacuum producing apparatus comprising a case having integral parts of gradually increasing diameters with curved shoulders between the parts, spaced impellers within the case also of gradually mcreasing diameters, dividing the case up into several expansion' chambers, artition rings secured` to the case at the s oulders thereof and directly above the impellers and assisting in dividing up the case into c hambers, each impeller having a central an' 1ntake toward the smaller part of the case, and a peripheral wall curved downward and outward and coinciding with the curved shoulders of the case and eectinga'downward discharge of the air.

Signed by me this 17th day of June 1909.

LEMUEL WILLIAM SERRELL.

lVitnesses:

ARTHUR H. SERRELL, E. ZACHARIASEN. 

